Drug and alcohol addiction represent destructive forces that can cause significant physical and emotional damage to affected individuals. Addiction can also strain and challenge the family dynamic, impacting those closest as its ripples radiate outward.
When your daughter was six and scraped her knee falling off her bike, you took care of it. When your son was twelve and needed medicine for a cold, you took care of it. But now your child is a young adult going off to college
When a loved one is suffering, it’s only natural to want to alleviate their pain. If they are physically hurt, you might provide bandages or a healing ointment. If they are sick, you might buy them medicine or cook them some chicken soup.
Relapse is a word most victims of substance abuse disorders and their families dread. Not a single or simple lapse in recovery resolve—a relapse implies a return to previous levels of continuous substance use. And though it might suggest a failure to some, addiction experts view relapse as a signal
Your loved one has gone to rehab, and you are breathing a sigh of relief. Now what? There’s no doubt you will experience a whole range of emotions. Though you may be tempted to sit back and enjoy the relative peace and quiet, resist that urge.
There is no question that addiction often leads to isolation, but it’s also critically important to understand how isolation is a trigger for addiction as well. As anyone with substance abuse issues knows, sobriety can be fragile in the best of times.
If you’re already asking yourself the question—”Is my husband an alcoholic?”—chances are, it’s not coming out of the blue. Maybe you’ve picked up on something small—the liquor cabinet is needing refills more and more frequently
During this time of nationwide social distancing and quarantine at home, many of us are hypervigilant about watching for signs of the coronavirus infection. Though some questions remain about the transmission and communicability of this novel viral illness
We tend to want to believe recovery is permanent once it’s achieved. Recovery is hard work, both for the person who was once addicted and for those who have supported them throughout the healing process. The thought of all that effort and hope being in vain can be devastating.
Family members have a potentially powerful influence when attempting to get help for an addicted child. Based on love and as deeply layered as the relationship you share, that potential may mean the difference between real life and the substance-mediated existence they have grown accustomed to.